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(No Model.) a sheets-sheen 1. E. KASTEN. PNBUMATIG MA'LTING APPARATUS.No. 409,151. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

N. Pneus. Pnnwumgnpmr. washingxm bfc.

(N0 Model.) 3 SheetB--Sheet 3.

E. KASTEN. PNBUMATIG MALTING APPARATUS.

No. 409,151. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

N. Pzmzs, Phomnhogmhaf. wumngmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICH KASTEN, OF MANNHEIM, BADEN, GERMANY.

PN EU MATIC MALTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,151', dated August13, 1889.

Application tiled September 18, 1888. Serial No. 285,653. (No model.)Patented in Germany June 22, 1888, No. 48,366, and in Austria-HungaryNovember ZO, 1888, No. 27,742 and No. 46,384.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ERICH KAsTEN, engineer, subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing at Mannheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, in theEmpire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Malting Apparatus, for which I have obtained Letters Patent inAustria dated November 20, 1888,No. 27,742; in Hungary dated November20, 1888, 46,384, and in Germany dated June 22, iSSS, No. 48,366; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters or iigures of referencemarked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of amalting-house. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portionthereof, and Fig. 3 is a like horizontal section illustrating myimprovements. Fig. 4is a vertical transverse section of two adjacentmalting-iioors and part of the mechanism for elevating' such floors, aswell as of the mechanism for transferring the contents from one Iioor toanother, one of said oors being shown in its elevated position. Fig. 5is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the malting-floors and theelevating mechanism. Fig. 6 isa side elevation of some of the fioors andthe elevating and transferring mechanisms; and Fig. 7 is a top plan viewof the same, shown partly in section.

The invention relates to the art of malting, and has for its object toprovide means whereby the various manipulations of the grain during theprocess may be effected mechanically, and whereby such process ofmalting is improved and accelerated by the use of moist and dry air,according to the condition of the grain.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and relativearrangement of the malting-floors, in malting-tloors adapted to beelevated so that the contents thereof may be readily discharged onto themalting-lioor next adjoining, in the mechanism for elevating themalting-ioor, in the mechanism for transferring the grain from one floorto another, and in structural features, combinations of parts, anddetails, substantially as hereinafter described, and as set forth in theclaims.

The invention further consists in a substantially air-tightmalting-chamber, a plurality of adjacent perforated malting-floors, asuction-chamber below each of said iioors, and an air-supply ductprovided with a valved outlet-port for each of the said floors, incombination with an air-exhaust duct and a branch duct for andconnecting each suctionchamber with said exhaust-duct, and a valve ineach of said branch ducts, substantially as hereinafter described,andset forth in the claims.

Before describing the invention in detail I would state that themalting-tloors are ar ranged in the malting-chamber in two rows; thatall of said floors are movable vertically, except the last floor of eachrow; that the wit-hering-iioors are also stationary and are preferablyinclosed by masonry, one of the walls thereof being formed by thepartition X, that separates the malting-floor from thewithering-chamber; that the inclosing-walls of all the malting-loors,movable or stationary, are constructed of sheet metals, as are theiioors themselves, as well as the witheringfloors; that trapvalves arearranged to close hermetically ports formed in said partitionwalls X,for transferring the grain from the last malting-loor to thewithering-floor trapvalves which I have deemed unnecessary to show, asthe construction of such is Well known, said valves being provided withmeans for opening and closing the same by hand; that under each of thenialting-tloors, as Well as under the withering-doors, a chamber e isformed; that there is a portable or traveling mechanism provided foreach row of nialtingfloors for elevating said floors and transferringthe contents thereof from the elevated floor to the next floor theretoand, finally, that there is one or more steepingvats or tubs for eachrow of malting-floors, so arranged that the steeped grain therein may betransferred to the first malting-:Iioor of each row.

In the drawings, H indicates the malt-house, of appropriate constructionA, the malting- IOO chamber; i, thc withering chamber; I to XVII, themovable maliing-loors of a row; XVIII, the last or stationarymalt-ing-tloor of each row; and XIX, the withering-doors arranged,respectively, in said malti iig-chamber A and withering-cllamber I3.

On the upperI floors of the malt-house are located the steeping-vats D,provided with ducts D, :for conveying the steeped grain to themalting-Jloors I. The chambers c', below 'the malting-iloors I to XVIII,are in comuninication with an air-exhaust duct E, arranged between thetwo rows ot ioors by means of branch ducts c, the corresponding chambersof the withering-floors being likewise connected to said duct E by meansof branch ducts e8 e, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,) the duct Ebeing provided with suitable ports e, Fig. 2. Each duct e of the movablemalting-iioors is provided with a gravity-valve d', Fig. 5, whose stema2 lies in the path of alug or rod 9, depending from the under side ofthe frame of said malting-fioors, so that as the loor is elevated thevalve will automatically close, while as the iioor returns to its normalposition the actuating-rod 0 will impinge upon the valve-stem a. Theobject of this arrange mentis to prevent thepassage of air through thegrain on the malting-Iioor while said iioor is being elevated and duringthe transfer of the grain thereon to another Iioor.

The duets c of the stationary maltingfloors, as well as the ducts e3 orthe duct c of the withering-doors, are similarly provided with valves ordampers, (not shown,) and adapted to be operated by hand to regulate theexhaust of the air, or, in other words, to regulate the volume of airdrawn through the grain on the said tloors, the duct E being connectedwith a suitable exhaust apparatus.

To still further regulate the exhaust of the air, I provide at theopposite ends of the duets e dampers e2, Fig. l, by means of which thecommunication between any one of the chainbers c of the movablemalting-fioors may be eut oit when necessary.

The air supplied to the withering-ehamber B may be taken directly fromthe outer air. if of proper temperature, or such air may be previouslybrought or reduced to the required temperature by heating or cooling, asthe case maybe; or, if desired, the waste air from the malt-kilns may beutilized in the withering-chamber.

The air supplied to the malting-chamber is drawn by the exhauster from achamber or turret C into a distributing-duct F, that extends the fulllength of the malting-chamber A between the rows of malting-iloors, saidduct f being provided along its oppo site sides with ports y, equal innumber to the number of malting-floors, said ports being provided withvalves or dampers (not shown) for regulating the amount of air admittedto the malting-chamber. The air drawn in from turret C is preferablymade to pass lirst into a duct or chamber F', for the purpose ofpurifying and moistening said air, water being injected in a `fine sprayinto said chamber or duct F.

In practice I arrange at each of the ports fy of the duct F a spraying`device or atomizer for the purpose of moistening or further moisteningthe air drawn in, suitable means being provided for drawing oit anysurplus water not absorbed by the air. I have deemed it unnecessary toshow these spraying devices in the drawings, as such are well known inthe arts, and as I do not desire to claim these otherwise than as a mereelement in combination with the air-duct F and its ports.

The transferring of the grain from malting-lioor to malting-iioor iseffected by first elevating a malting-iioor above the level of themalting-iioor next adjacent thereto and then transferring the grain i'rom said elevated floor onto the next below.

rlhe mechanism for elevating the maltingfloors and for transferring thegrain is supported from a carriage. G, mounted on wheels and travelingon rails g', supported by stainlards G', arranged on opposite sides ofthe two rows of malting-lioors. Thus in operation the steeped grain isfed or dumped from the steeping-vats I) onto the maltingtloors I. Afterremaining there an appropriate time these iioors are elevated and thecontents transferred to floors II, and a fresh charge of steeped grainbeing' then fed to lfloors I, the grain being thus transferred tromfloor to Hoor until all the floors are charged, the grain from the lastiioor XVIII being transferred to the withering-doors XIX in chamber ll,and when all the floors are supplied the process becomes a continuousone, as will be readily understood.

The movable making-floors are each composed of a supporting-frame I ofiron gil-ders bolted together, to which is secured a perforated licor 2,preferablyof sheet metal, said floor being incloscd on three sides byvertical walls 3 3 3b, Fig. 5, the fourth or one of the longitudinalsides of the floorbeinglcft open. This fourth side is, however, closedwhen the malting-fioor is in its normal position by a stationarypartition 5, secured' to metallic standards (i, arranged between thecontiguous movable malting-floors and their suction-chambers c', theopen side of each floor faein g the iioor next thereto, so that as eachfloor is elevated the grain may be transferred to the next floor. Atight joint between the edge of the perforated licor, along the openside, and the stationary partition 5 is obtained by means of a packing7, of leather or equivalent material, secured to said floor and movingwith it along said partition 5 when said floor is elevated. Thestandards (i ot the fixed partition 5 engage U iron braces 4, Fig. (i,bolted to the edges of end walls El and 3 of the floor, and serve toguide said floor in :its up and down movements, like braces or tiesbeing secured centrally to said end walls to give the necessary strengthor rigidity.

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To each end girder of the Hoor-frames l, on opposite sides of thecentral U-braces 4, is secured alug or bearingS, Figs. 5 and 6, withwhich engage the hooks n2 of the lifter-rods n of the lifting mechanismpresently to be described. The frame l of the movable malting-floors isso constructed as to bear evenly upon the face of the walls of thechambers e below said ioors, so as to form a tight joint therewith.

The devices or mechanisms for elevating the malting-iioors andtransferring the grain from one to another are constructed and arrangedas follows:

G indicates the carriage upon which these mechanisms are mounted, saidcarriage being supported by three pairs of wheels W traveling on therails g', hereinbefore referred to. At one end of the malting-chainberAis arranged the drivin g-shaft a for said carriage, said shaft carryingat opposite ends abeltpulley P. At the opposite end of said chamber, andon opposite sides thereof, are arranged tension-pulleys P, over whichtravel the driving belts or ropes that propel the carriages and operatethe lifting and transferring mechanisms.

The shaft a may be driven from any suitable prime motor, or moreconveniently from the motor that drives the exhaust-fan. The maindriving-rope ir is arranged as follows:

From the driving-pulley P. the upper part of the rope passes over aguide-pulley g on the carriage G, thence around the under side of adriving-pulley Q, looselyT mounted on the main driving-shaft of saidcarriage, and from the under side of said driving-pulley Q said upperpart of rope passes over a second guide-pulley q', and then over thetensionpulley P.

From the driving-pulley P the lower portion of rope x passes underpulley q, over pulley Q, under pulley q', thence under tension-pulleyP', said pulleys q Q q having each two grooves for the purpose.

On the driving-shaft Y) of the carriage G is mounted a friction-clutch cbetween two bevelpinions d g, both loose on said shaft and provided withcone-hubs, upon which the clutch operates. As shown in Fig. 5, thebevel-pinion d has an extended tubularhub d', to which is keyed thebelt-pulley Q, so that when the clutch cis brought in engagement withthe cone-hub of pinion d the shaft b is revolved in one direction. When,on the contrary, the clutch c is brought in contact with the conehub ofpinion g, said shaft will be rotated in a reverse direction through themedium of the intermediate pinion f, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

The clutch may be operated in any suitable n1an1ie1'as, for instance, bymeans of the system of levers h and t', (shown in Fig.

7,) said lever h encompassing the frictionclutch.

The shaft b carries two bevel-pinions 7s, that mesh with bevel-wheels l,mounted on the upper end of short vertical shafts M, which shafts alsocarry a pinion m, that meshes with the toothed wheel n, whose hubs arescrewthreaded interiorly, and in which hubs work the screwthreadedlifting-rods n. These rods are arranged in pairs at opposite ends of thecarriage and are connected by a rod 0, Figs. 5 and 6, and are providedwith the lifting-hooks n2, that engage thelugs or bearings 8,hereinbefore referred to.

By means of the mechanism described the malting-floors are elevated andlowered for transferring the grain from one floor to another andreturning such floor to its normal position.

Between the cheeks or lateral standards of the frame of the carriage Gris arranged a conveyer L, whose buckets or scrapers L extend the fulllength of the malting-floor, and said conveyer is operated from theshaft of the guide-pulley q', on which is mounted a beltpulley q2,belted to a pulley 13 on a shaft q, mounted on the conveyer-frame K. Thelatter shaft carries a pinion (14, thatmeshes with a gear-wheel g5 onthe drivingshaft of the conveyer, as more plainly shown in Fig. 7, thedirection of motion of the conveyer being indicated by arrow, Fig. et.Motion in one or the other direction over the series of maltingiioors isimparted to the carriage G by means of the following mechanism:

A friction-clutch s, operated by a shiftinglever t, Fig. 5, is mountedon a short shaft S, which shaft also carries a belt-pulley s. Thefriction-clutch s is arranged to operate upon a friction-cone r, keyedto the short shaft of the intermediate bevel-pinion f, hereinbeforedescribed. The belt-pulley s is belted to a pulley 'v' on acounter-shaft o, and on saidl shaft fu, which extends across thecarriagefra'me, are mounted sprocket-wheels w, that are connected bychains w', Figs. 5 and 6, to like sprocket-wheels wzon the driving-axleof the right-hand pair of wheels W of the carriage (l.

By means of the described mechanism the carriage can be moved in eitherdirection on the rails g by properly manipulating the clutch-coupling son shaft S.

lt will be observed that the main drivingbelt, through the medium oftheintermediate mechanism, serves to propel the carriage to and fro onthe rails g to operate the conveyer L and to elevate and lower themalting-iioors. Vhen one of these floors is to be elevated, the carriageis run over it, so that the hooks n2 on the lifter-rods will engage thelugs or bearings S at opposite ends of the floor. The clutch-lever t' isnow manipulated to bring the clutch c in contact with the cone-hub ofpinion d, thus revolving the shaft b and bevelwheels n through theintermediate gear Z m to cause the rods fn to ascend through the hubs ofsaid wheels fn. until the floor has been elevated to the conveyer, whensaid iioor will be in a position relatively to the next adjoining floorto transfer the grain from the .IOO

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former to the latter, which is effected by the mechanism previouslydescribed, the elevator being set in operation the moment the clutch cis brought into engagement with the conehub of pinion d, the grain beingscraped off the floor and transferred to the adjoiningone below.

By a reversal of the clutch c the pinion g will be actuated through themedium of the intermediate pinion f, and the shaft f; will be rotated ina reverse direction to lower the maltingdloor. Finally, the clutch smaybe brought into operation to move the carriage G over anothermalting-floor.

It will be readily understood that the conveycr and its operatingmechanism maybe dispensed with and the transfer effected by manuallabor, in which case a suitable staging is secured to the carriage forthe workmen.

I Iaving described my invention, what I claim isl. In a malt-house, aplurality of adjacent verticallyanovable perforated nialting-floorsinclosed on three sides, and a stationary partition interposed betweenthe floors and formin the inclosing-wal l for the open side of suchfloors, in combination with an. elevating meehanism arranged above saidfloors and adapted to be moved from one door to another and connectedtherewith, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a inalthouse, a plurality of adjacent vcrtically-movableperforated inalting-tloors inclosed on three sides, and a stationarypartition interposed between the floors and forming the inclosing-wallfor the open side of such floors, and in combination therewith aeonvcyer or scraper arranged above said floors and operating to transferthe malt from one lfloor to another, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

In a malt-house, a plurality of adjacent vertically-movable perforatedmalting-iloors inclosed on three sides, and a stationary partil ioninterposed between the floors and forming the inelosing-wall for theopen side of such floors, in combination with an elevating mechanismadapted to be connected te said floors, and a conveyor or scraper, bothmounted on the same support and adapted to be moved to and fro above themalting-ioors, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

l, In a malt-house, a plurality of adjacent verticallyanevableperforated malting-fioors inelosed on three sides, and a stationarypartit-ion interposed between the floors and forming the inclosing-wallfor the open side of such iioers, and in combination therewith aconveyer or scraper, a wheeled carriage therefor, an elevated way forsaid carriage, and a driving` mechanism for the cenveyer mounted on saidcarriage, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a malt-heuse, a plurality of adjacent vertically-movableperforated malting-floors inclosed on three sides, and a stationarypartition interposed between the floors and ferming` the inclosing-wallfor the open side of such Iloors, and in combination therewith anelevated way, a wheeled carriage adapted to travel on said way, and an.elevating meehanism mounted on said carriage for elevating the floors,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

G. In a malt-house, a plurality of adjacent and vertically-movablenialti|igiioois cour prising a rectangular frame, a perforated floorsecured thereto, and vertical inclosingwalls arranged on one side and atopposite ends of said trame,in combination with a sta tionary partitionarranged to close 4the fourth open side of the floor,substantially asand for the purposes specified,

7. In a malt-house, a plurality of adjacent and vertically-movablenialting-floors eomprising a rectangular frame, a perforated floorsecured thereto, and vertical inelosing-walls arranged on one side andat opposite ends of said frame, in combination with a stationaryinelosing-wall arranged to close the fourth open side of the floor, anda packing secured te the edge of said floor along the open side to forma tight joint with the stationary inclosing-wall, substantially as andfor the purposes specified. j

S. The combination, with a plurality of contiguous' or adjacentvertically-movable perforated malting-floors provided with lugs orbearings S at opposite ends, of an elevated way, a carriage adapted totravel to and f'ro on said way, and a lifting mechanism comprising theserew-threaded hooked rods la', the hooks of which are adapted to engagethe lugs or bearings 8 of the floors, the bevelwheels n, havinginteriorly-threaded hubs in which said rods work, and a driving-gear fordriving said bevel-wheels, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

0. The etmibinatien, with a plurality of contiguous or adjacentvertically-movable perforated maltii'ig-floors, of an elevated way, acarriage adapted to travel to and fro on said way, a eonveyer or scrapercomprising anendless belt arranged te travel in a horizontal plane andprovided with convcyer buckets or scrapers, mechanism forimpartingmotion to said belt, and an elevating mechanism for elevating themalting-floor to said eonveyer mounted on said carriage, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.V

l0. In a malt-house, a vertically-movable perforated nialtiiigfloor, asuction-chamber below said iloor, an air-exhaust duct connected withsaid chamber, and a gravity-valve interposed in said connection, saidvalve hav ing its stem in contact with the floor or a projection thereonwhen said 'floor is seated on the suction-chamber to hold the valveopen, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

ll. In a maltl1ouse,a plurality of contiguous or adjacentvertically-movable maltingfloors, a suction-chamber below each floor, anail-exhaust duct connected with said cham ICO IIO

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bers, a gravity-valve in said connections, said valves having theirstems in contact with their respective malting-floors to hold the valveopen When the floor is seated on the suctionchamber, an elevated Way, acarriage adapted to travel to and fro on said Way, and an elevatingmechanism mounted on said carriage for elevating` the floors, whereby,when a malting-loor is elevated, the valve will automatically close tocut off the communication between the suction-chamber and air-exhaustduct, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

l2. In a malt-house, a malting-chamber, a series of contiguous oradjacent verticallymovable perforated malting-floors, and a stationarymalting-fioor at the end of the series, a withering-chamber adjacent tothe maltingchamber, a perforated withering-floor in said chamber, and asuction-chamber arranged under each of said floors, and in combinationtherewith an airduct in communication with the .malting -'chambc1', aseparate airsupply for the withering-chamber, and an airexhaust ductcommon to all the suction-chainbers of the floors, substantially as andfor the purposes specified.

13. In a malt-house, a substantially air-tight inalting-chamber, aplurality of contiguous or adjacent vertically movable perforatedmalting-iioors, and a suction-chamber under each of said doors, incombination With an air-distributing` duct provided with separateoutlet-ports for each malting-floor, means for combining moisture Withthe air admitted, an air-exhaust duct, a separate connection between thesuction-chamber of each maltingfloor and said air-exhaust duct, andavalve in said connection, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

In testimony whereof IafiiX my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ERICH KASTEN. Vitnesses: Y

J. GEIsAL, CHR. LUTZ.

